Just read this

[wightbees]

https://www.theguardian.com/environ...s-landmark-study-shows?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

 

[wightbees]

Also here http://www.nature.com/news/largest-ever-study-of-controversial-pesticides-finds-harm-to-bees-1.22229

 

[charlievictorbravo]

Goulson Proved Right!

These two new studies, one across Europe and one in Canada, prove what Dave Goulson was banging on about 2 years ago.

The agro-chemical companies told lies about the persistence of these chemicals when they were introduced over two decades ago and now those chickens have come home to roost and a good job too.

Trouble is, the UK is about to leave the EU so we have to rely on Whitehall to protect our environment - that means Mr Gove who almost single handedly destroyed our schools' National Curriculum when he was Education Secretary, will make the final decision of the future of Neonics in the UK. Anybody confident about that outcome?

CVB

 

[For want of a better word]

These two new studies, one across Europe and one in Canada, prove what Dave Goulson was banging on about 2 years ago.

The agro-chemical companies told lies about the persistence of these chemicals when they were introduced over two decades ago and now those chickens have come home to roost and a good job too.

Trouble is, the UK is about to leave the EU so we have to rely on Whitehall to protect our environment - that means Mr Gove who almost single handedly destroyed our schools' National Curriculum when he was Education Secretary, will make the final decision of the future of Neonics in the UK. Anybody confident about that outcome?

CVB

We can look forward in anger to a Silent Spring.................

What is happening to our queens... neonicotinomides are only one of the pieces of jigsaw... many other poisons such as Aspertame another..... unlimited import of virus laden exotics yet another?

I do not think I will be keeping bees in 40 years time!

Yeghes da

 

[hallshoney]

This was the main topic on radio 4 farming today this morning . Funny how Monsanto and other chemical companies put up 3million of the 3.5m used in the study. Then rubbished it's findings by concentrating on the test group in Germany that had no ill affects. brushing over the fact that this test started three weeks after the other tests . Then seaming to some how imply that German's have healthier bees to start with or perhaps better beekeepers.

 

[oliver90owner]

I do not think I will be keeping bees in 40 years time!

Likelihood is that you won't - especially if you are already an old aged pensioner, even if the average life expectancy rises further!

 

[foghornleghorn]

Must have a proper look at the results later. 6 hives per spot and in the UK sites nearly all hives died irrespective of treatment, all UK hives started the trial as overwintered nucs, so there must have been some level of poor management

 

[Apiarisnt]

Must have a proper look at the results later. 6 hives per spot and in the UK sites nearly all hives died irrespective of treatment, all UK hives started the trial as overwintered nucs, so there must have been some level of poor management

"It is unfortunate that at the UK sites, small nucleus honey bee colonies were used rather than full sized colonies, and the majority of these died out during the course of the experiment. Only 23 out of a total of 72 hives survived, and the control colonies which had no access to the neonicotinoid treated crops suffered 58% mortality, making it difficult to draw any reliable conclusions."

So how applicable are the test results to the use of neonics in the UK in relation to normal beekeeping in the UK, assuming that we do not believe 58% mortality to be normal for beekeeping in the UK?

 

[madasafish]

"It is unfortunate that at the UK sites, small nucleus honey bee colonies were used rather than full sized colonies, and the majority of these died out during the course of the experiment. Only 23 out of a total of 72 hives survived, and the control colonies which had no access to the neonicotinoid treated crops suffered 58% mortality, making it difficult to draw any reliable conclusions."

So how applicable are the test results to the use of neonics in the UK in relation to normal beekeeping in the UK, assuming that we do not believe 58% mortality to be normal for beekeeping in the UK?

How applicable?

None. Poor beekeeping coupled with a poor choice of colonies I suggest.



All those against neonics have nevertheless a valid case. They would be more persuasive if they put forward a legitimate and practical alternative. And the answer of go organic has little credibility as it is usually labour intensive and the UK farming industry is short of labour.

 

[foghornleghorn]

How applicable?

None. Poor beekeeping coupled with a poor choice of colonies I suggest.



All those against neonics have nevertheless a valid case. They would be more persuasive if they put forward a legitimate and practical alternative. And the answer of go organic has little credibility as it is usually labour intensive and the UK farming industry is short of labour.

If instead of giving money to all these academics to waste on killing bees and instead setup a handful of research farms with the remit of cutting pesticide use (playing around with the likes of cover crops, inter cropping and direct drilling). Much more progress would be made and that would also build insect populations across the country better than banning every insecticide would.
There is too much of a focus on getting nonsense peer reviewed and published than on stuff that's relevant to the farmer in the field.

 

[For want of a better word]

In 40 years there will be no bees... a Silent Spring.... I will probably be just another star in the Heavens..... but I have children and grandchildren.......


OSR yield was increased by at least 20% by bringing pollinating colonies of honeybees to fields of gently swaying mazola plants.

Farmers needed higher productivity so cut back fields to the margins and ever destroyed countless mile upon mile of hedgerow to facilitate bigger fields of crops and bigger machines to harvest them.

Big pest co developed a raft of pesticides to kill of the bugs that thrived in the field margins and hedgerows controlling the bugs that ate the OSR....
and then developed strains and hybrids of OSR that were self pollinating... so no need for bugs in field margins or hedgerows, but a definite need now a requirement to grow OSR.

SO folks we have killed all the beneficial bugs and their habitat.... no longer need honeybees as the OSR self pollinates... and have a double wammy of killing our honey bees off to boot!

Placing blame will not solve the problem... remember what Einstein was reputably have to have said about bees?

Yeghes da

 

[charlievictorbravo]

The problem is to decide whether you do a laboratory study or a field study. When lab studies were done, the response from the chemical companies was "you've been force-feeding bees an insecticide at unrealistic rates - what would you expect". When they go for a field study, the difficulty is finding a control site from which the bees CANNOT find neonic-contaminated forage.

Several field studies have fallen down because the "control' colonies had neonic in the combs, either in the wax, pollen or honey. It's the devil's own job to set up a field study to look at Neonics, as it's so easy to pick holes in the results because the bees won't forage where you want them to forage!

CVB

 

[Finman]

In 40 years there will be no bees... a Silent Spring.... I will probably be just another star in the Heavens..... but I have children and grandchildren.......


OSR yield was increased by at least 20% by bringing pollinating colonies of honeybees to fields of gently swaying mazola plants.

Farmers needed higher productivity so cut back fields to the margins and ever destroyed countless mile upon mile of hedgerow to facilitate bigger fields of crops and bigger machines to harvest them.

Big pest co developed a raft of pesticides to kill of the bugs that thrived in the field margins and hedgerows controlling the bugs that ate the OSR....
and then developed strains and hybrids of OSR that were self pollinating... so no need for bugs in field margins or hedgerows, but a definite need now a requirement to grow OSR.

SO folks we have killed all the beneficial bugs and their habitat.... no longer need honeybees as the OSR self pollinates... and have a double wammy of killing our honey bees off to boot!

Placing blame will not solve the problem... remember what Einstein was reputably have to have said about bees?

Yeghes da

Oh my goodnesss.
Gulf stream will stop and Britain will chill out. Enjoy your life as Lång as you can.

.
.

 

[Finman]

In 40 years there will be no bees... a Silent Spring.... I will probably be just another star in the Heavens..... but I have children and grandchildren.......


OSR yield was increased by at least 20% by bringing pollinating colonies of honeybees to fields of gently swaying mazola plants.

Farmers needed higher productivity so cut back fields to the margins and ever destroyed countless mile upon mile of hedgerow to facilitate bigger fields of crops and bigger machines to harvest them.

Big pest co developed a raft of pesticides to kill of the bugs that thrived in the field margins and hedgerows controlling the bugs that ate the OSR....
and then developed strains and hybrids of OSR that were self pollinating... so no need for bugs in field margins or hedgerows, but a definite need now a requirement to grow OSR.

SO folks we have killed all the beneficial bugs and their habitat.... no longer need honeybees as the OSR self pollinates... and have a double wammy of killing our honey bees off to boot!

Placing blame will not solve the problem... remember what Einstein was reputably have to have said about bees?

Yeghes da

Oh my.
Gulf stream will stop and Britain will chill out. Enjoy your life as Lång as you can.

Oil palm will replace canola oil.

.
.